The NFL has historically served as home to some of the fastest athletes of all time. Current players like Raheem Mostert, John Ross III, and Kenyan Drake have clocked times that could hold up as some of the fastest in league history. That poses the question, who is the fastest player in the NFL right now?
For the sake of this analysis, we will use official 40-yard times and NFL Next Gen Stats of ball carrier runs for this 2020 season. This gives us a good idea given two completely different scenarios since the 40-yard time is vastly different than the in-game competition with your football betting on the line.
The NFL began clocking times electronically in 1999. Before that, the NFL used manual timing for all Combine records, and the argument for the fastest player leaves room for plenty of human error. It is reported that Bo Jackson ran his 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.13 seconds in 1986, making him the fastest of all-time. The question of the validity of that number is up for debate.
The NFL now provides specific speeds on different in-game play types with their Next Gen Stats. This information can help us understand the players who have clocked in at top speeds during games, but players who haven’t gotten a lot of tick? That’s when we turn to NFL Combine and Pro Day 40-yard dash numbers.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Raheem Mostert is the fastest player (with the ball in his hands) of this 2020 season with an 80- and a 76-yard touchdown, clocking in at a top speed of 23.09 and 22.73 mph respectively in Weeks 1 and 2.
Fastest 40-Yard Combines Times of Active Players
Based on electronically clocked numbers, John Ross holds the No.1 spot for all-time and active players. His 4.22 40-yard dash was set in 2017. The Oakland Raiders rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III came close when he notched a 4.27 40 in 2020.
Let’s take a look at the fastest 40-yard dash times for current NFL players to aid in your overall league knowledge in football lines. All of these times were officially recorded at the NFL Combine or Pro Day.
| Player | Drafted Team | Combine Time (40-Yard) | Year | |
| 1. | John Ross | Bengals | 4.22 | 2017 |
| T-2. | Marquise Goodwin | Eagles | 4.27 | 2019 |
| T-2. | Henry Ruggs III | Raiders | 4.27 | 2020 |
| T-4. | Tyreek Hill | Chiefs | 4.29 (Pro Day) | 2016 |
| T-4. | Javelin Guidry | Jets | 4.29 | 2020 |
| T-6. | Curtis Samuel | Panthers | 4.31 | 2017 |
| T-6. | Andy Isabella | Cardinals | 4.31 | 2019 |
| T-6. | Parris Campbell | Colts | 4.31 | 2019 |
| T-9. | Will Fuller V | Texans | 4.32 | 2018 |
| T-9. | Raheem Mostert | 49ers | 4.32 | 2015 |
Fastest Players & Plays of 2020
All times are based on ball carriers and clocked on NFL Next Gen Stats for the 2020 season and each players’ official NFL Combine 40-yard dash time for the sake of comparison. Keep in mind these times are when players had the ball in their hands.
| Player | Team | Speed (mph) | Play | Date | Combine Time (40-Yard) | |
| 1. | Raheem Mostert | 49ers | 23.09 | 80-yard rush. TD | Week 2 | 4.34/18.85 mph |
| 2. | Raheem Mostert | 49ers | 22.73 | 76-yard rec. TD | Week 1 | 4.34/18.85 mph |
| 3. | Kenyan Drake | Cardinals | 22.11 | 69-yard rush. TD | Week 6 | 4.45/18.38 mph |
| 4. | Tyreek Hill | Chiefs | 21.91 | 44-yard rec. TD | Week 14 | 4.29/19.07 mph (Pro Day) |
| 5. | Nyheim Hines | Colts | 21.85 | 19-yard kickoff ret. | Week 13 | 4.38/18.68 mph |
| 6. | Trevon Diggs | Cowboys | 21.72 | 0-yard int. | Week 8 | N/A |
| 7. | Michael Davis | Chargers | 21.69 | 78-yard int. TD | Week 4 | 4.54/18.02 mph |
| 8. | DK Metcalf | Seahawks | 21.66 | 6-yard reception | Week 7 | 4.33/18.89 mph |
| 9. | Derrick Henry | Titans | 21.62 | 94-yard rush. TD | Week 6 | 4.54/18.02 mph |
| 10. | Jonathan Taylor | Colts | 21.60 | 13-yard rec. TD | Week 13 | 4.39/18.64 mph |
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